Normally, Nan spends her days at Humana’s Neighborhood Center. But this day was different. She was on a mission to go above and beyond her duties to help two Humana members, a couple, who had almost no food. They couldn’t wait two weeks for their Basic Benefit meal support service. They needed help now.

Nan made it to the food bank with three minutes to spare before distribution ended. Orange juice and bananas were all that was left. She started to panic, thinking she was too late. It wasn’t nearly enough to last two weeks for the couple in need. Still, she gratefully took what she could and walked back to her car. She wanted to thank them a second time when she saw Pastor Sixto leaving the building. She recognized him from the food bank’s website and decided to approach him.

She told him how grateful she was for their support of the community, including Humana members. He asked to see what she’d gotten for the couple and she showed him the juice and fruit. He asked her to wait a minute.

Suddenly, four people came out, each carrying a box of food. Pastor Sixto listed out the contents as the volunteers loaded Nan’s car: canned goods, fruit, five whole chickens and five 10-pound rolls of ground beef. Pastor Sixto’s thoughtfulness left her speechless. She later called him a guardian angel. Pastor Sixto and Nan turned some bananas into a bounty, all so one couple could thrive.

Helen wanted a new hospital bed for her sister, Mary. As members, they wanted Humana’s help. Mary’s current bed had makeshift side rails that put her safety at risk. Every time Helen got her sister in or out of the bed, Helen jeopardized her own bad back, not to mention her ability to care for her sister. That bed was an accident waiting to happen.

Telephonic nurse Jessica couldn’t stop thinking about these sisters and their situation. She understood that earning Helen’s trust required compassion, so she brainstormed a plan and reviewed Mary’s benefits to see what she could do to help her get a new hospital bed. Jessica called hospital bed companies until she found one that would deliver and install during a pandemic.

She guided the sisters’ primary care provider through the authorization process. She kept Helen updated on her progress until the bed arrived in a matter of days.

Jessica channeled her compassion into action because she felt empowered by Humana to go above and beyond standard processes. She built trust out of a new bed. But more than that, Jessica kept two sisters safe, at home and together.

Papa is an organization that pairs older adults with Papa Pals, who provide companionship and help with everyday tasks. One day, a Papa case manager wished a Humana member named Joe a happy birthday.

Joe broke down.

He said it’d been years since anyone had said those simple words to him. Years.

A few hours later, Joe opened his door to find a cake on his doorstep. See, Papa had called Humana, and we’d jumped into action.

This wasn’t just a cake.

This was a celebration. A symbol of how much people cared.

Joe told us he was so excited. So happy that someone had shown him this simple kindness. That moment made a big difference not just in his day, but in his life. That day taught Joe he wasn’t alone. He had a community that offered support and connections. He had hope.

Ron had just gotten housing after experiencing homelessness for over a year. He thought he only needed some help with his medications when Humana care manager Wendy called him. Her warm demeanor helped him open up to tell her the full story.

He hadn’t seen his doctor in over a year even though he had multiple chronic conditions because he couldn’t find transportation. He couldn’t go to the YMCA because he couldn’t afford the membership. He couldn’t afford his prescriptions and taking the bus to pick them up often proved too difficult.

Wendy assured Ron she would do everything in her power to assist him. And she did with Humana’s help.

She first learned about his plan and his benefits.* She found in-network primary care providers in his area, one of whom turned out to be Ron’s former doctor. Wendy discovered Ron wasn’t aware of his Humana plan benefits which meant he wasn’t utilizing them. Wendy told Ron he had unlimited transportation benefits to and from the doctor and taught him how to use his telehealth benefit to receive care from home. She explained his SilverSneakers benefit that gave him free access to the YMCA. She spoke about his quarterly OTC benefit and sent him a catalog so he could order supplies. She explained his Low-Income Subsidy benefit and how to use it with a preferred cost-share pharmacy in his plan network, so he could save both time and money with extended-supply prescriptions sent directly to his home.

Ron couldn’t believe it. He had access to so many benefits through his Humana plan and yet he’d gone without the care and treatment he needed for so long. He wasn’t just thankful, he was over the moon. With a one phone call, Wendy removed multiple obstacles Ron faced on his health journey, making a huge difference in his life and on his outlook. Because of his Humana plan, he now has the resources and tools to live healthier and be happier.

– Wendy, Care Manager, Humana at Home, Shelby Township, Michigan

*Benefits vary by plan.

Walter didn’t know what to do after he’d been discharged from the hospital in the middle of the pandemic. He needed groceries but breathing after a collapsed lung and with COPD was hard enough. He wasn’t sure he could last the taxing shopping trip in a mask. He was already at high risk with his lung conditions. It wasn’t safe for him to be out. And the shelves were empty of the things he needed most like toilet paper, milk and eggs.

Humana care manager Allen saw an opportunity to think outside the box. Walter had just gotten a smartphone. He could use an app to do his grocery shopping online and have it delivered directly to his door. Allen took the time to coach Walter through the download and set up of the grocery shopping app. Allen then walked Walter through how to use it. Now, Walter’s a regular online grocery shopper. He’s safe at home and has all the necessities he needs to stay fed and healthy.

Allen took the time and attention to show Walter he and Humana cared. The little things in Walter’s life turned out to be not so little at all.

Gwen is legally blind. She has no family nearby. Sometimes she drinks chicken broth as a meal. When the pandemic hit, she was afraid to go grocery shopping with the friend who normally takes her. She was out of medication.

Humana care manager Heather knew she had to help. She found an in-network pharmacy who did same-day deliveries and transferred Gwen’s medications. She connected Gwen to another Humana team so she could use her transportation benefits as part of her plan. She checked to see if Gwen was eligible for Humana’s Basic Benefit meal support service*, which provides 14 nutritionally balanced meals to eligible members experiencing food insecurity.

It’d been so long since Gwen had tasted meat, which she got in her Basic Benefit meals. She didn’t know how to thank Heather enough for all her support. Because of Heather, Gwen has the medications she needed delivered right to her door. She has rides to and from the doctor. She didn’t have to make do with broth thanks to Humana’s Basic Benefit. She had a real meal and a full belly. Now, Gwen’s smiling brighter. She knows Heather and Humana care about her and her well-being.

—Heather M., Humana at Home Care Manager, Cookeville, Tennessee

*Benefits vary by plan. Basic Benefit meals typically arrive within seven to 10 days. Based on the member’s nutritional needs and food storage, meals are either prepared and ready to heat and eat or are shelf stable for longer pantry storage. Requests are limited to one per member in order to serve as many people as possible. Members can call Humana Customer Care at 1-800-457-4708 (TTY: 711), Monday–Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., to see if they are eligible. Access additional information for members experiencing food insecurity here.

Humana member Patty spent months trying to replace the CPAP machine an airline had lost. Six months, to be exact. She called both the airline and her CPAP machine company again and again. And again, to no avail.

Getting a new CPAP felt hopeless.

She didn’t know how to get what she needed or who to ask for help. She didn’t know how many more months she’d have to go without a CPAP or a decent night of sleep.

That’s when Humana stepped in. Case manager Regina heard Patty’s concern and frustration. Regina could empathize with night after night of poor sleep. She understood what it was like to be passed on from one unhelpful person to the next.

But Regina knew how to navigate a complex healthcare system.

She knew how to make it more human.

More meaningful. More caring.

Regina knew which distributor to call and what to say to get a new CPAP. Her knowledge and actions got Patty a new machine within a week. But what she really gave Patty was the comfort of a good night’s sleep.

And the promise of a healthier tomorrow.